Ready or not, the automation age is suddenly upon us

Source article: Gary Grossman @ venturebeat.com (April 21, 2020 3:10 PM

There is no going back, and looking forward offers no clear view of just what comes next, only radical uncertainty and possible scenarios. We are indeed looking through a glass darkly.

After COVID-19, there’s no going back to the way things were. There won’t be sporting events or concerts with thousands of people sitting in close proximity for a long time. The open office floor plan will likely become a relic of a bygone era. It is, as The New York Times stated recently, the end of the economy as we knew it.

What we’re witnessing is the epitome of a “burning platform,” a metaphor for a crisis that demands drastic change. Much like a wartime atmosphere, we’re in a moment when changes such as universal healthcare and universal basic income suddenly seem possible.

A survey of nearly 800 executives worldwide by Bain & Company estimates the number of companies scaling up automation technologies will double in the next two years. The firm noted: “As companies adapt to new routines and prepare for a pending downturn, automation solutions that might have been years away a few months ago, are suddenly right around the corner.” Examples of manufacturers who plan to speed up automation efforts include LG Electronics, VW, and Hyundai.